


the map that leads to the most dangerous treasure

by thatemofangirl



Series: AUgust 2020 [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU-gust 2020, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Avengers Assemble - Freeform, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Clint Barton is underrated, Gen, I love everyone but that’s besides the point, Protective Steve Rogers, Sneaky Nick Fury, Tony Stark Acting as Harley Keener's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony finds a mystery map, Where was I going with this?, and actually give them more that a few lines, i can do what i want though, i love them, i need to write them into more things, it’s a cool concept though, it’s fanfic, so is Maria Hill, this is me completely disregarding canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25817422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatemofangirl/pseuds/thatemofangirl
Summary: The crew of The Avenger needed a break.Following the mysterious decryped map seemed like it would raise a lot of red flags, but there was something about it that made Tony convince Steve and the other's it was important. Especially when the same stranger that gave him the map led to two more additions to the crew.Why were they needed and who needed them?
Relationships: Harley Keener & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark
Series: AUgust 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858408
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	the map that leads to the most dangerous treasure

**Author's Note:**

> Day Ten: Pirate AU. Eh, it's kinda there, but kinda not?? 
> 
> Hey! It's Peter Parker's birthday (and my brother's *cough*)! He would've turned 19 if he wasn't like, you know...in the soul stone. 
> 
> But we don't outright acknowledge that though, so shh...?

"Could you please tell us why you think it's a good idea to follow these clues?" Steve asked as Tony pinned up a new map over the one they used for their last quest as the two of them talked in the captain's quarters of the ship.

The man shrugged. "What's wrong with a little something to keep the crew busy for the sake of some fun?"

Steve stared at Tony incredulously with a hint of anger and annoyance. "We can't take the risk of this 'mystery man' who gave you this map being Hydra! I— we just got Bucky back. Do you think he's in any condition to fight the people that were previously his captors? He's missing an _arm_!"

"Look Cap, I get it, and I sympathize with Barnes. I really do. But isn't that a reason we should do this? This would be a nice break from fighting to get him out alive. We could all enjoy a nice long trip across the sea, _away_ from where Hydra was. And maybe, this map'll actually lead somewhere."

"But what if—"

"If there's even the slightest shady clue or the possibility that this could be Hydra leading us into a trap to get Bucky back, you can give the command to ditch the quest and I won't be butt-hurt about it."

Steve bit his tongue, thinking it over. Tony raised his eyebrows, waiting for the ship's captain to answer so he could relay it to the rest of The Avenger's crew that were waiting for an answer so they would know where to set sail.

"Why are you set on doing this? We don't even know what we'll find if we make it to mark. We don't even know if it'll even be worth it."

"I just have a feeling," Tony tapped on the compass tattoo on his chest. "Like it's pointing me in the direction. We're supposed to go here." At his words, Steve turned to where Tony had circled their destination in black ink.

Stark was a genius, Steve had to give him that. The map had been riddled with clues, different paths to take. It was a test of sorts, to see if the infamous crew of _The Avenger_ could solve the puzzle.

Tony's messy handwriting scrawled everywhere, making the map nearly unintelligible with comments like, _that path leads_ _right_ _into_ _the Cave of Cthulhu. Avoid that one._ Or, _get hexed the second we_ _step_ _foot onto land, avoid this one too._

By using his brain and scouting technology, Tony deciphered the safest path to their destination, which was on uncharted land and had no name. But by safest, Tony had still said it was decentky dangerous. They would of course have to be on the alert for other pirates. That would naturally start a fight.

The crew of _The Avenger_ was also not very welcomed in most parts of the world's government. While they were the most morally grey in comparison to most pirates, the majority of the time helping other people and earning their riches from accepting interesting quests or taking from people who didn't deserve it, they normally did it illegally. Of course, the fact that if nothing seemed too risky, they would be exploring uncharted territory. Who knew what dangers lie past the boundaries of most maps?

"All right." Steve agreed, facepalming as Tony let out a cheer of victory.

"If you want to stay here with Barnes, I can go flag down the crew." Tony offered, his voice calming down as he asked the serious question. He knew Steve cared about Bucky a lot. That they were friends since they were children, and dreamed of commanding a crew since then. But then Bucky went missing, and Steve sought out _The Avenger_ and it's inhabitants (reluctantly) for help. It took longer than Steve would have liked for them to find Bucky, but in that time, he formed a bond with the crew and even gained the status of Captain.

Tony suspected they were more than friends by the stares and lingering touches on top of how much Steve ripped through anyone he needed to to reach him, but he never pressed.

"Thank you."

Tony nodded and exited the quarters. The smell of metal and fire hit his face as he stepped outside and the buzzing chatter of the busy warf filled his ears.

His footsteps thudded against the wooden bridge that connected _The Avenger_ to the docks and entered the crowd.

Tony was in no way low-profile. He had been a big name in weapons making and trade before his entire life got rearranged. Everyone knew his name, and most everyone knew his face. Sometimes his fame helped, but it mostly hindered the group. The compass on his chest didn't help him blend in either. When he had been kidnapped, he himself had been exoerimented on. To this day, Tony had no idea what they had done to him, or what in the ink had made the tattoo glow a soft blue, but over the years Tony had learned how to use it to his advantage.

He fell in step with the flow of the foot traffic as he entered the even more crowded welding city in search for his shipmates. They knew not to go far, because Tony and Steve needed to find them once they were done debating. He knew they were most likely at the nearest bar, trying to take the edge off of their last mission; the one where they had rescued James Barnes from Hydra hands.

Tony paused, thinking about who he wanted to find and letting his compass guide the way. Before he began to move again, he felt someone watching him. Warily turning his head, he caught glimpse of two pairs of eyes spying on him behind the corner of the local blacksmith booth before they quickly receded. Tony shrugged it off and filed it as just kids recognizing him and watching him from a distance. It happened more than someone might have thought. He had assumed correctly.

Back on _The Avenger_ , Steve had gathered medical supplies and travelled to the hold to meet where Bucky was resting in the bunks. It was time to change his bandages to lower the risk of infection.

Steve couldn't even begin to imagine what Bucky had gone through in the months he had been missing. He always tried to push that intrusive thought out of his mind but he always circulated back to it. Especially when the man he knew was different when he got back. Both mentally and physically.

Bucky was no longer the charismatic and good hearted flirt he used to be. His handsome features were rough and disheveled. His hair had grown out, and his muscle mass had grown like Hydra was making him participate in physical labor. His eyes were haunted, like he had seen and felt horrors beyond anyone's imagination.

And then his arm...Bucky was missing his entire left arm. They had cut it off right at his shoulder. Bucky hadn't said much about his time with Hydra, but he did tell Steve that it looked better than the mangled stump that was in its place before when he had got into the accident that took it off.

"You awake Buck?" Steve knocked softly on the inside of the open doorway quietly before he looked in and saw Bucky look up from where he was sitting upright on the bed holding his head in his right hand.

The white gauze that wrapped around his chest to keep the bandage in place was stained a dark red, but from the distance it didn't look too fresh. So the bleeding had stopped. That was a good sign.

"Yeah," his voice was soft and hoarse. Bucky had been in the care of _The Avenger_ and it's crew for a little under a fortnight, but he hadn't made much progress in terms of returning to normal. Steve was slowly coming to terms that under the torture Bucky endured, it might take a long time before he made any progress. It didn't matter, as long as Bucky allowed Steve to stay there every step of the way.

Steve held up the gauze and new cloth in his hand before stepping in and carefully sitting down next to him. "Need any medicine? How much does it hurt. We can always get some before we shove off."

Bucky shook his head dismissively before staring at Steve. "We're following the map?"

"Tony says it'll be worth it."

"He knows what's at the end?" Bucky asked.

"No. But he's set on all of us using this as a type of break. Spend some time relaxing on the sea. It'll be a months trip, at least." Steve sighed. "He could be right. We need it."

Bucky could hear it in Steve's tone, how he wanted to add more. "But you're still skeptical." He guessed. He was spot on.

"I just got you back. I don't want to lose you again. I don't want to be willingly sailing headfirst into a Hydra trap."

"Wouldn't Stark know?"

"The map was full of clues as to where to go, but none of them held information or even hinted at who gave it to him or what would be waiting for us. Whoever it was, they were smart—"

"Not Hydra, then,"

Steve blinked, not thinking he was truly seeing the small smile on Bucky's face. But when he realized it wasn't just a figment of his imagination, he realized a bit of the old Bucky was coming back. He had made a joke.

Steve laughed. A short one, and soft, but he laughed. After enjoying the moment, he shifted back to being serious. "If you don't feel like making this trip with us..."

"I don't see the harm. Who knows? Maybe we'll get rich and be able to get a better ship."

Steve sighed. " _The Avenger_ is nice and rustic. I don't think we'll be giving her up anytime soon."

"Fine. But we could still get rich."

"Touché."

By the time Steve had finished changing Bucky's bandages and having a conversation without the prying eyes of the crew, the footsteps and laughter signaled their return.

Both Bucky and Steve climbed up to the deck to see Clint pulling the wooden bridge back on board.

"Ready to go already?" Steve asked, and everyone showed some form of agreement; a nod or a short response.

"Now or never, wait any longer and we'll risk sailing through the monsoon." Natasha, perhaps _The Avenger'_ s deadliest and most mysterious member, said. She was great at dissecting people, in both definitions, and seemed like she knew everything about everything. No one ever questioned her unless they wanted to take their chances at being held at knifepoint. She held just as much influence over the group as Steve or Tony did.

"Okay," Steve nodded as the crew began to get to work, dropping the masts and tightening the halyards as Tony took place at the wheel.

It didn't take long to set a course, and soon, _The Avenger_ was sailing the calm waters under the warm spring sun, following the mystery map.

Not even an hour later, just as the crew was settling comfortably on the deck, a loud crashing noise had come from the hold.

Thinking it had just been poor stacking on thier side, Clint offered to pick up the mess. What no one was expecting was for the man to return with two teenage boys in tow. The team had become defensive, not knowing who they were or what they were doing on the ship.

"How'd you get on without us knowing?" Steve demanded.

"Um," the shorter of the two boys, a brunet, began. "We uh—"

"We snuck in through the gunport, Captain Rogers," the second answered in a clear determined voice.

Everyone looked to Steve. "You know who I am?"

"We know who all of you are. You guys are amazing!" The first boy said excitedly.

"Who doesn't know who you are?"

"So then you also know how incredibly dimwitted it was for you to sneak on." Natadha raised her chin. "What do you want?"

"We um, we don't know." The brunet looked down at his hands, where he was holding a piece of paper.

"How could you not know? You have to have had a reason for sneaking on." Tony pressed before sighing. "We're gonna have to turn around,"

"No!" The second boy abruptly shouted as Tony began to walk toward the wheel. "What we mean is that someone wanted us to come with you. To follow the map."

Everyone froze. "What do you know about the map?"

"N-nothing. This—" the brown haired boy opened the paper he was nervously holding. "—just said that we needed to come with you. That you needed us."

"Let me see that," Tony grabbed the paper from the boy, who—while he was also masking slight fear—was amazed to see the crew of _The Avenger_ in front of him. Tony's eyes scanned the handwritten note and saw that it was the same writing that came with the note that was written at the top of the map when Tony had received it that read _See you soon._

 _"_ Tony?" Steve had asked after his minite of silence.

"The kids are coming with us," Tony said as he turned to the rest of the group. Both boys exchanged a look of relief and excitement.

"What?"

"Look, whoever gave me the map gave them this letter," He waved the paper in the air. "We're all connected, they want them there too. This says we're going to need them."

"They're teenaged boys!"

"That doesn't mean we're any less than you," the second boy, a blond, spoke.

"I'm just saying what the note says," Tony shrugged. "And now that I'm focusing, the compass isn't saying to turn back either."

"Steve?"

The captain sighed. "Their your responsibility Stark. Anything they do, you're in charge of."

"Done." Tony turned to face the boys. "What are your names?"

"I'm Harley. He's Peter, sir." Peter gave a small wave.

"This is going to be a long trip."

Harley was definitely the more confident of the two boys, the crew had found out over time. Peter was modest, and always second guessing his abilities but was actually a genius of his own.

Tony hadn't been expecting to become a parent on this trip, but he knew if he let anything happen to them—especially after learning they had families back home who somehow consented to their departure—he could never forgive himself for it.

The rest of the crew quickly warmed up to Peter and Harley as well. They had stories about _The Avenger_ and it's crew from an outside perspective, which was hilarious to listen to compared to the original stories. Both of them were incredibly sarcastic, Harley more so, and intelligent beyond their years. Quick to think their ways out of a situation, which they've proven twice when the ship had gotten attacked already, and enjoyable to be around. Even Bucky couldn't say he didn't enjoy being around Peter, who always brought a smile to everyone's faces.

Bucky had been doing better for the most part too. He was actively participating in more conversations, and slowly spending less time by himself. Gradually, he opened up about what he had experienced with Hydra, which had fueled not only Steve to hate the evil pirates, but everyone aboard _The Avenger._ Especially when Bucky woke up screaming or had phantom pains like his arm was still there.

Over the time of the journey, they had begun to talk about creating a plan to get rid of Hydra. But that would have to wait until after their quest was over.

"Hey guys," everyone looked up, squinting against the sun, as Clint shouted down to them from the fighting top. He liked spending time up there. He could also see better and the farthest. "I think we're here!" He pointed ahead, and the crew turned to see that they were in fact approaching land.

"Well, would you look at that?" Bucky said rhetorically as he stood up.

"Tony? This the right place?"

The man glanced down before nodding his head. "Yeah." The word was breathless as he took in the sight.

The unmapped land they were nearing was huge. A border of trees separated the coast from a giant fortress. It's walls were at least five stories tall solid stone. The place was heavily armed, with ballistae and scouts patrolling the top.

As beautiful as it looked, it was even more concerning. Whatever the map was leading too couldn't have been worth trying to get through there. The seven of them would get killed before they stepped through the front doors.

But that's not what Tony thought.

"This is something bigger than we all thought it was." He argued. "Whoever sent us here must want us for some reason. If it was only us, then maybe I would think they were going to kill us, but Peter and Harley haven't done anything for _anyone_ to want them dead."

"Uh," everyone turned to Harley as he involuntarily made a noise. He was only thinking of a kid he made mad enough to be on the recieving end of a death threat once, but there was no way it could have been him. It was literally three days _after_ he and Peter had gotten the note.

"What?"

Harley shut his mouth. "Nothing. I swear."

 _The Avenger_ hit to wet sand of the beach, and Steve tethered the ship to a tree up the coast so it wouldn't drift off to sea.

They worked together, weapons drawn, as the ventured forward. At every step, the crew expected an ambush. But they were surprised to find nothing until they literally reached the front doors.

A single woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun was waiting. "Follow me." She said before pushing open the big doors.

Inside the fortress were hundreds more people moving quickly around like they had jobs to do, like it was a small civilization of it's own. Having no other plan, they followed the woman through the winding halls until they had all reached a wide room.

Inside stood around least sixteen other people. A man with dark skin, a long black coat, and an eye patch standing front and center.

"Took you long enough," he spoke directly to the crew. The woman broke off from leading as Steve and Tony stopped the group.

"Don't tell me; we're last to the party?"

"Just the start."

"Who are you?" Bucky asked.

"Fury," Natasha said and everyone went silent. The man raised a curious eyebrow. "I thought you were dead." He ooened his arms as if to say 'well here I am.'

"What are we doing here?" Steve figured he would have another chance to ask who everyone else was later.

As if reading his mind, Fury spoke. "We'll skip the introductions for now. I'm glad to see you all made it, safely I presume? It's nice to see an old friends ship again."

"Excuse you, _The Avenger_ is my ship, and as far as I can tell, we're not friends," Tony said, stepping protectively in front of Peter and Harley.

"I wasn't talking about you, Stark. You do know _your_ ship had a previous owner, don't you?"

Tony stayed silent, glancing around the room. A man with long golden hair and holding a hammer and a woman who's eyes seemed to glow red stood out to him of the group.

"What are we doing here?" Steve repeated, this time his voice less lenient.

"Well, everyone in this room are some of the best pirates in the world. And long story short: I need the best."

"To do _what_?"

"To steal something, of course." Fury's menacing gaze darkened. "Six somethings, in fact."

"And why should we help you?"

"Oh, I think you'll want to do this." Fury chuckled deeply. "Welcome to the endgame, Avengers."

**Author's Note:**

> so much for staying *ahead* of schedule....


End file.
